NOTE: Some of the transcriptions of The Courant given here have not had the proofreading corrections completed.

THE

New-England Courant.

Issue 37

HISTORIES of Lives are seldom entertaining, unless they contain something of this Nature in my own Adventures, I will not tire your Readers with tedious Particulars of no Consequence, but will briefly, and in as few Words as possible, relate the most material Occurrences of my Life, and according to my Promise, confine all to this Letter.

MY Reverend Matter who had hitherto remained a Batchelor, (after much Meditation on the Eighteenth verse of the Second Charter [Illegible] Genests,) took up a Resolution to marry; and having made several unsuccessful fruitless Attempts on the more topping Sort of our Sex, and being tir'd with making troublesome Journeys and Visits to no Purpose, he began unexpect edly to cast a loving Eye upon Me, whom he had brought up cleverly to his Hand.

THERE is certainly scarce any Part of a Man's Life in which he appear more silly and ridiculous, than when he makes his first Onset in Courtship. The aukward Manner in which my Matter first discover'd his Intentious, made me, in spite of my Reverence to his Person, burst out into an unmannerly Laughter: However, having ask'd his Pardon, and with much ado compos'd my Countenance, I Promis'd him I would take his Proposal into serious Consideration, and speedily give him an Answer.

AS he had been a great Benefactor (and in a Manner a Father to me) I could not well deny his Request, when I once perceived he was in earnest. Whether it was Love, or Gratitude, or Pride, or all Three that Made me consent, I Know not; but it is certain, he found it no hard Matter, by the Help of his Rhetorick, to conquer my Heart, and perswade me to marry him.

This unexpected Matched was very astonishing to all the Country round about, and served to furnish the them with Discourse for a long Time after; some approving it, others disliking it, as they were led by their various Fancies and Inclinations.

WE lived happily together in the Heighth of conjugal Love and Mutual Endearments, for near Seven Years, in which Time weadded Two likely Girls and a Boy to the Family of the Dogoods: But alas! When my Sun was in its meridian Altitude, inexorable unrelenting Death, As if he had eny'd my Happiness and Tranquility, and resolv'd to make me entirely miserable by the Loss of so good an Husband, hastened his Flight to the Heavenly World, by a sudden uexpected Departure from this.

I HAVE now remained in a State of Widowhood for several Years, but it is a State I never much admir'd, and I am apt to fancy that I could be easily perswarded to marry again, provided I was sure of a good-hummoue'd, sober, agreeable Companion: But one, even with there few good Qualities, being hard to find I have lately relinquish'd all Thoughts of that Nature.

At present I pass away my leisure Hours in Conversation, either with my honest Neighbor Rustious: and his Family, or with the ingenious Minister of our Town, who now lodges at my House, and by whose Assistance I intend now and then to beautify my Writings with a Sentence or two in the learned Languages, which will not only be fashionable, and pleasing to those who do not understand it, but will likewise be very ornamental.

I Shall conclude this with my own Character, which (one would think) I should be best able to give. Know then, That I am an Enemy to Vice, and a Friend to Vertue. I am one of an extensive Charity, and a great Forgiver of private Injuries: A hearty Lover of the Clergy and all good Men, and a mortal Enemy to arbitrary Goverment & unlimited Power. I am natural very Jealous for the Rights and Liberties of my Country; & the least appearence of an Incroachment on those invaluable Priviledges, is apt to make mmy Blood boil exceedingly. I have likewise a natural Inclination to observe and reprove the Faults of others, at which I have an excellent Faculty. I speak this by Way of Warning to all such whose Offences shall come under my Cognizance, for I never intend to wrap my Talent in a Napkin. To brief; I am coureous and affable, good-humour'd (unless I am first provok'd) and handsome, and some times witty, but always,

SIR,Your Friend, andHumble Servant,SILENCE DOGOOD.

To the Author of the New-England Courant.

SIR,Being lately at the Quarter-Sessions, when a certain Lawyer came upon his Tryal for cohabiting with a French Tayloress as his Wife without being married according to the Laws of this Province, it was with no small Indignation that I heard him deliver himself to this Purpose: Please your Hnours, I have been render'd odious by a Company of Scandalous Writers, which I need not wonder at, when even his Excellency himself, and all that is dear and sacred to your Honourd, has not escap'd the Last of there sorry scribblers: And since the are so much byas'd by their Writings. I chuse not to be try'd by the Fury, but freely confess that I am not marry'd according to the Laws of this Province, and throw my self entirely upon your Honours: And if yours Honours will give me your Word, that you will not Prosecute the Gentlemant that marry'd me, I'll tell you his Name.

------I have thrown my self upon your Honours, and I value Fifty Pound no more than I value Fifty Farthings. This impudent Speech of the famous Gentleman of the Law, reflects not only on the Town in general, but in a particular Manner on the Judges and Jury. And here I am under a Necessity to observe, that besides his Crime above mention'd a Woman who was presented by the Grand-Jury (at the same Sections) for having a Bastard Child declared in open Court that he was the Father of it. But there and such like Offences, hinted at in the Courant, are so dear and Sacred to him that ( judging others by himself) he instinuates, that they are likewise dear and sacred to their Honours. 'Tis Plain, he did not think the Judges had any Regard to the Laws of the Province, otherwise he would not have had the Imprudence to desire their Honours to

OVERLEAF

give him their Word not to put one of them in Execution against the Person that married him (by his own Confession) contrary to Law; tho' it is still a Question, whether he was married at all at the Time his being presented. I advise you, Sir to go on, and (as far as in you lies) suffer no Man to bid Defiance to the Government, by living in an open Breach of its Laws. Vice and Profaneness will never be dear and sacred to good Men; and the Resentments of the Vicious will but add to the Credit of your Paper.

While Vertue you indulge, Honour, Renown;Lash on the Vice and follies of the Town;Your brave Design, so full, so justly take,You are condemn'd by none but Fools and flakes.If great Mens Frowns divert your Enterprize,Sure none but Rakes and Fools will count you wise.Wake every Sinner from his curst Repose,And every Fool and every Knave expose,Who without Danger pass from Year to Year,And dread no Justice, for a BRIDEWELL fear.Awake the Soul by tender Stroaks of Art,The Genius elevate, and mend the Heart.While with supior Springs, you strive to moveThe Hero's Glory, and the Virgin's Love;Th' Oppressor's Sordid, cruel Arts Expose,And keenest Satyrs up against him rouseHoot LAWLESS Beauxs and Harlots off the Stage:Restore lost Vertue, and reform the Age.

Yours, &c.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

London, Octob, 10. His Majesty having nothing more as Heart than the Preservation of his People from the direful Calamity of the Plague, which rages with such Volence in the Southern Parts of France, leaves nothing undone that may contribute to so laudable and Pious a Work, to which Purpose frequent Councils are held, and Sir Hans Sloan, Dr. Mead and Dr. Athbothnot consulted, and the Ministry apply Themselves with great Diligence to this Business; in Consequence whereof, we hear Batracks are ordered to be built on Black Health for Soldiers to be entertained, if it should please God to visit us with that dreadful Judgement, in order to prevent a Communication with this City and the Countries of Suffex and Kent, where it is most likely to be received first. Sunday there was a Council held at the Cockpit, when the aforcesaid Doctors attended, but came to no final Resolution.

Octob.12. Yesterday Orders were sent from Whitehall, and the Admiralty Office, to the Governours of the several SeaPorts, concerning a Dutch Frigate which lies in our Channel, several on Board having the Plague; the said Orders are to force her away, and if the refuses, they have Directions to fire upon her and sink her: there are 50 Men in 4 Days time thrown overboard which died of the Plague.

Octob 14 Sundays and Wednesdays are appointed for a Commtttee of Council to fit, in order to take into Confideration proper Methods to be used, for preventing the spreading of the Plague, in Cafe it should be brought into there kingdoms.

Orders are given to the board of his Majesty's Works, to give in an Elimate of Building Barracks in 6 or 7 Plates near London; particularly On Black should reach us, near Hampstead, &c. in Cafe the Plague should reach us, and the said Estimate we hear will be laid before the Parliament, in order for a Bill to pass for the building the same.

Sixteen Men of War are in Quest of the Dutch Frigate having the Plague. The first Information relating to her was sent hither by the Lord Whitworth, our Minister at the Hague.

London, Feb. 17. All our Accounts of the State of the Pestilence are favorable, except from Provence, where, in some shall Places, it rather increases than dimishes: But if they may be credited, their Coudition in general is so much altered to Advanage, That in all Probability, a few Months may wholly free them from that dreadful Calamity they have so long groaned under. The Congress of Cambray is now in so much forwardness, that there wants but little more than the Presence of the British Ministers, who are also preparing to go thither, in order to its being fully form'd, and to their entring upon Business. A Breach with the Turks seems unadvoidable, and the Venetians Par ticularly are making the neccessary Preparations in as full a Manner as if the War was actually declar'd. The Muscovittes grow more and Moreuneasy to the Poles, and the Prospect on that side is far from such as could be wish'd by those who are concern'd for preserving the Transquility of Europe.

Last Week Seven thousand eight hundred Ounces of soreign Silver, and one thousand ninety three of Gold were entered for Exportations to Holland.

The Port Letter from Falmouth of the 8th Instant say, that a Ship from Bardoes for London, Capt. Mitchel, was just come in there, Which brings Advice, That his Majesty's Ship the Weymouth of to Guns, was taken on the Coast of Guihea by two Pyrate Ships command by one Roberts, where of one carry'd 40 Guns and other 38.

Mr. Knight is now actually at Naples, but his Residence in so fine, pleasent and healthful a City will not be long; for it will never be permitted to so flagrant an Offender to enjoy such a Sweet Retreat.

It is talk'd, that Six Menof War will be speedily appointed on an Expedition against the Pirates in the WestIndies, who by all Accounts grow every Day more formidable than other.

'Tis advis'd from Rome, that the Pretenders Lady is again with Child,

Boston, April 16.

We hear from Malden, that the Lightning on Tuesday last enter'd in at the Door of an House theere, and very muchscorch'd a Man and a Boy, Kill'd a Dog, and melted some Pewter in the Cellar.

Yesterday came in Capt. Hoard and tucker in 8 Weeks from London, but bring no Prints later than what we have by Capt. Griffin from Bristol. Capt. Tucker on his Passage about 130 Leagues from the Lizard, saw aLight about Break of Day, and Making towards if found it to be a ship on Fire, one Bourn Master, bound from London to Pisactaqua: All the Men had got into the Long-Boat, and were taken up-by Capt. Tucker, and brought in hither. " Tis said she took Fire inthe Hold by the Carelessness of the Carpenter.

By Order of the Select-Men.

Whereas sundry evil minded Persons have of late industriously reported inthe Country Towns, that the Small Pox is again very brief in this Town, many Persons now sick of that Distemper, and Several lately dead. This is

to certify, the that Report is salse and groundless, there [Illegible] but three Persons now Known to have the Small Pox, yia. one near the Dwelling House of Judge Sewall, one in wings Lane, and one near the North Brick Meeting House, and but one buried since sometimes in the Month of January last past. Could the Inventers of such Pernicious Lies be fully discovered, It would be of publick Service. If any Fantilies that have had that Distemper have not already aired their Houses and Bedding, it is recommended to all such, more especially Inn-holders and those that entertain Lodgers, that they would speedily take all proper Care, in well airing and cleaning their Houses and Bedding.

Custom House Boston. Entred Inwards.

David Ellingwood. John Wharfe, George Giddlns, Zech. Stone, Sammuel Stevens, William Pride, and John Lowe from New Hamshire, Charles Whitfield from Rhode Island, Benjamin L' hommedieu and Hosea L' hommedieu from LongIsland, Joseph Prince, Wiam Carley, Josiah Doty, James Perguson, and Benmin Eddy from North Carolina, William Fletcher, William Grubb, and John Fulker from Maryand, Elisa Kingston, and Robert Rea from St. Christophers, Elias Wail from Auguilla, Eleazer Dorby from Surranam, Jof Benjamin from Barbadoes, Edmund Tilson, and John Cox,

from Salertude, John Griffin from Bristol.

Cleared Out.

Sammel Butler for New Bristol, John Chancy, Bar. Lothrop and John Knowles for Connecticut, John Hood, and Richard Shute for Canso, William Beekman, James Coden, and John Theobald for New York, Paul Starbuck, Miles Gale, and Thomas Rogers for North Carolina, Ebenezer Gardiner forSouth Carolina, William Winter for Newfoundland, Ebenezer Fisher for Suranam, Isaac Matthews for Antigua, Thomas Lethered for London.

Very good Silk-grass, at 4 s. per Pound, to be sold by Mt. Benjamin Emmons in Hanover Street, by the StarTavern near the Mill-Bridge.

The Dwelling House Mr. Jarvis Ballard now lives in, in Cold Lane, to be Let: Also Three House Lots, fronting on said Lane, each Forry Foot Front, and Eighty Five Foot dee, to be Sold. Enquire of Mr. Ballard above said, and know further. Any Person that wants a Wet Nurse into the House, may hear of one by enquiring ofthe Printer hereof.

To Morrow will be published.A sermon prearch'd t the Lecture held in Boston, by the Society for promoting Regular and Good Singing, and for Reforming the Depravations and Debasements our Psalmody Old Ways Of Singing. By Thomas Walter, M.A. Sold by Thomas Fleet in Savage's Court on Cornhill.

Just Publish'd, and sold by the Printer hereof.An Ordination Sermon Preach'd at Malden, Octob. 31 1721, when the Reverend Mr. Joseph Emerson was Ordain'd Pastor of the Church in said Town. ByThomas Symmes, V.D.M. With a Preface by the Reverend Mr. Col-man.

On Friday next will be Publish'd, and Sold by the Printer hereof,

English Advice to the Freeholders, &c. of the Province of the Masschusetts-Bay, chiefly relating to the new Choice of Representatives.

BOSTON Printed and Sold by J. Franklin in Queen-Street, over against Mr. Sheaf's School, where Advertisements and Letters are taken in. Advertisements are likewise taken in by J. Edwards at the Corner Shop on the North Side of the Town-House. Price 3 d. single, or 10 s. a Year.